A discursive perspective on socio-technical sustainability transitions: : insights from the German packaging sector

Medientyp: E-Book

Titel: A discursive perspective on socio-technical sustainability transitions : insights from the German packaging sector

Beteiligte: Simoens, Machteld [Verfasser]; Leipold, Sina [Akademischer Betreuer]; Augenstein, Karoline [Sonstige]; Fuenfschilling, Lea [Sonstige]

Körperschaft: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Institut für Umweltsozialwissenschaften und Geographie ; Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Fakultät für Umwelt und Natürliche Ressourcen

Erschienen: Freiburg: Universität, 2022

Umfang: Online-Ressource

Sprache: Englisch

DOI: 10.6094/UNIFR/231181

Identifikator:

Schlagwörter: Nachhaltigkeit ; Diskursanalyse ; Sozialer Wandel ; Diskurs ; Deutschland ; Sustainability transitions ; Packaging ; Circular economy ; Discourse ; Socio-technical systems ; (local)doctoralThesis

Entstehung:

Hochschulschrift: Dissertation, Universität Freiburg, 2022

Anmerkungen:

Beschreibung: Abstract: To secure satisfying and sustainable livelihoods for current and future generations, changing modes of production and consumption are crucial, requiring multi-faceted and deep-structural socio-technical shifts in society. So far, transition research has mainly focused on the technological, institutional, and behavioral side of transitions and explored some promising attempts to include the normative dimension in its analyses as well. Nevertheless, a more structured exchange with interpretative discourse analysis to address the role of discursive elements and dynamics in transitions is missing. Consequently, this dissertation provides a discursive perspective on socio-technical sustainability transitions, using insights from the German packaging sector and its transition towards a sustainable circular economy. Overall, this conceptualization provides insights into the stabilizing and enabling discursive dynamics, shaping the directionality, potential, and disruptiveness of transition processes. In this way, the discursive perspective (1) helps to deconstruct the underlying values and assumptions of a socio-technical configuration, (2) to illuminate discourse sources of resistance that otherwise would have remained hidden, (3) provide a differentiated understanding of the necessary changes for sustainability, and (4) enhance the understanding of the role of incumbent actors in transition processes. Next to these conceptual contributions, the dissertation also offers methodological enhancements and hands-on approaches and tools to assess the normative dimension in transitions. More specifically, (5) it adapted various discursive approaches and tools for a socio-technical setting, (6) guides the analysis of discursive lock-in mechanisms next and in relation to its material, institutional, and behavioral counterparts, and (7) presents an approach to assess the potential and disruptiveness of current and future interventions for sustainability. Empirically, this dissertation provides various insights and explanations for the gap between ambition and practice of transition processes in the German packaging sector, disentangling the complex dynamics and providing an extensive knowledge base on the variety of actors, core problems, visions, and proposed interventions. Based on these findings, the dissertation holds three implications necessary for successful transition-making in the German packaging sector and beyond. To achieve a transition towards a sustainable circular economy, (1) discussions on the desired directionality of this transition need to be enabled, (2) interventions need to be targeted at overcoming resistance to change, and (3) shift their focus from shallow to deep system change

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